murder, frocks and sticky desserts

Archive for the ‘Livia Day’ category

I’m very pleased to announce that I will be a guest at this year’s Crimescene WA, from the 11-12 October 2014 in Perth.

Headlining this year will be Michael Robotham, Livia Day and Julie Szego. International best seller Michael has managed to fit us into his very busy schedule! Livia is the alter ego of award-winning blogger, podcaster and fantasy writer, Tansy Rayner Roberts. Julie Szego used to be a journalist for The Age and has just released a non-fiction novel. We are incredibly excited about these authors and their involvement with us this year.

But we need your help to get this project off the ground. To do this we have set up a crowdfunding page for our project http://pozible.com/chooseadventure. If you don’t know what crowdfunding is, it’s all explained on the page. But one thing to keep in mind is it involves rewards and they are amazing, including everything from signed books to Skype conversations with the authors. If you could pledge to this project I would be greatly appreciative. Even if the only thing you can afford is to pass the word onto your friends, family, and colleges or just pledge $5, every bit counts!

Some of the stellar writers who will also be writing a choose your own adventure for this project include: Isobelle Carmody, Marianne De Pierres, Sean Williams, Mindy Klasky, Mark Leslie, Sophie Masson, Michael Pryor, Kim Wilkins, Angela Slatter, Lee Battersby, David B. Coe & Jennifer St George plus a host of emerging writers!

This is exciting for me not least because I’ve been asked to produce a Livia Day story (as distinct from a TansyRR story) for the project which means, yes, MURDER MYSTERY IN HOBART! Okay, writing murder mysteries in Hobart is not entirely new for me – the sequel to A Trifle Dead is being edited right now – but the idea of doing it choose-your-own-adventure style so that readers can actually walk around Hobart with a map while consuming the story – that’s just awesome.

I have determined that if I get to do this story (if the project funds) I will pack as many Tassie tidbits in as possible including my trademark ‘murder to read while hungry’ delicious morsels, plus touristy goodness. I might even ask my readers to nominate specific parts of Hobart to include in my story…

So, that crime-writing alter ego of mine has a pretty exciting weekend coming up in a few weeks. Those of you likely to be in Melbourne on 14th June, check out this awesome Sisters in Crime event!

FRIDAY 14 JUNE – 8PM
SOMETHING ROTTEN IN THE APPLE ISLE
Three Tasmanian-born writers talk about their new novels

Josephine Pennicott, Poppy Gee and Livia Day have all set their novels in the Apple Isle, but with different and fatal twists. Presented by Lindy Cameron, a Sisters in Crime National Co-convenor and author.

Sydney-based Josephine Pennicott is the author of three fantasy books and now Poet’s Cottage (Pan MacMillan), a mystery novel set in a Tasmanian sea-fishing village in the 1930s and present day. It was sold in a bidding war to Ullstein publishers (Germany), along with Currawong Manor, her current mystery-in-progress.

Poppy Gee, who was born in Launceston, spends every summer with her family at its shack in the Bay of Fires, also the title for her forthcoming debut novel (March, Hachette). The body of a backpacker washes ashore at the idyllic small town in Tasmania and the close-knit community starts to fall apart. As long-buried secrets start to come out, the delicate balance of their fragile lives is threatened. Poppy has nearly completed her next novel, another literary thriller set in the Tasmanian ski village Ben Lomond.

Livia Day has lived in Hobart for most of her life and A Trifle Dead (Deadlines/Twelfth Planet Press) is her first crime novel. The action revolves around Tabitha Darling who has always been a dab hand at pastry and a knack for getting into trouble – not a useful trait when she’s trying to run a hipster urban cafe?, invent the perfect trendy dessert, and stop feeding the many (oh so unfashionable) policemen in her life. It all goes pear-shaped when a dead muso is found in the flat upstairs. Livia fell in love with crime fiction at an early age.

A Trifle Dead was well and truly launched on Thursday – with a cavalcade of macarons and trifles over in Perth, thanks to the organisation skills of Tamara (and the launching skills of my good friend Helen Merrick!), and with much wine and convivial chatting here in Hobart.

Here is the speech I made:

On Launching A Trifle Dead, by Livia Day (and Tansy Rayner Roberts)

Thank you all for being here again – it makes me so happy to be able to fill a bookshop with friends and family and loyal readers, even when I confuse you by changing my pen-name. I’m particularly grateful that the books decided to grace us with their presence tonight because that led to some stressful moments that were very not fun.

My awesome mother has given me a brilliant present in honour of the release of my new novel – a throw cushion based on the cover design of A Trifle Dead! She’s even included little bobbly cherry stems. It is a thing of beauty.

The book is officially released tomorrow, so this is your last chance to get in for a pre-order! In the mean time, check out a sneak peek of the novel’s opening two and a half chapters to whet your appetite for trifle.

My author copy arrived yesterday! Very happy with it. It arrived packaged with chocolate, and my publisher informs me that this is now official policy – chocolate will be delivered with books. When I asked if that meant I had to supply her with chocolate next time I sent her a manuscript, she replied gravely that chocolate should only flow towards the author.

I wanted a protagonist who uses social skills and cake to solve crimes, because really in a small city like Hobart, it’s so hard to keep a secret. Gossip is not just a weapon in the hands of sweet little old ladies, it’s also a major currency among hipsters and party animals.

A Trifle Dead will be officially launched on Thursday 28 March 2013, in two different states!

The Tasmanian launch is at 5:30-7pm at the Hobart Bookshop, Salamanca Square, Hobart. No need to RSVP, just come along and see my book off in style! Wine is provided.

Tehani Wessely will be our MC, and Stephanie Smith is launching the book.

If you can’t make it to the Hobart Bookshop in person, you can order a copy directly from the publisher, Twelfth Planet Press.

Or, if you’re in Western Australia, you can join Alisa, Terri and Tamara of Twelfth Planet Press at the Perth launch of A Trifle Dead, at Stefen’s Books. This launch is from 5:00-7:00pm and promises delectable desserts as well as a chance to schmooze with Perth’s coolest bookerazzi. (Facebook invite here)

If you’re in another state, there’s no reason you can’t have an A Trifle Dead party too! Pre-order your copies from Twelfth Planet Press and indulge in a trifle or two with your friends.

I’ll admit I was nervous when I heard there was ‘tweaking’ going on with the cover of my book, because I had just been showing it off to everyone I met at Genrecon and hearing so much positive feedback about how it worked for crime and mainstream readers (and even the occasional SF reader) – the thought of changing it was alarming!

But of course I should have trusted the amazing Amanda Rainey, who added a splash (literally) more criminal intent to the original design, which really brings the concept together.

YOU GUYS IT’S REALLY SOON NOW!

A Trifle Dead will be launched on 28 March at the Hobart Bookshop – more details on that later. In the mean time, you can pre-order the book directly from Twelfth Planet Press.

Thanks to Sean the Blogonaut for scooping the author on this one & saying such nice things about the book based on only having read the first chapter. Someone get that man a review copy!